Winless in their last three outings across all competitions, Nashville SC entertain the challenge of Charlotte FC at Geodis Park on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the away side make the journey aiming to continue their upturn in form, which has seen them win five of their last seven matches.
Match preview
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Nashville battled hard to come away with a point from their encounter against Inter Miami, which ended goalless at the DRV PNK Stadium on Thursday.
Gary Smith's men had their backs against the wall for large spells of the contest but they held firm to force a share of the spoils in Fort Lauderdale.
Consequently, the Boys in Gold remain seventh in the Eastern Conference of the MLS table, four points clear of the chasing pack in the race for the final playoff spot.
Coming up next is the task of facing off against an opposing outfit who have been beaten in two of the previous three editions of this fixture.
Currently with the joint second-best defensive record on home turf in the entire division, Sunday's hosts will be confident of keeping their visitors at bay en route to a positive result.
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Charlotte FC were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Orlando City when the teams went head-to-head at the Bank of America Stadium on Thursday morning.
Christian Lattanzio's men took the lead late on through Enzo Copetti, but there was still enough time for Martin Ojeda to restore parity with an 88th-minute equaliser.
With 30 points from 25 matches so far, the Crown sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, nine points behind this weekend's opponents in the race for playoff contention.
Having won just one of their most recent seven matches on the road, Sunday's visitors have work to at both ends of the pitch if they are to turn their away fortunes around.
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Team News
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Nick DePuy is out for Nashville with an Achilles tendon injury, and the American is still a significant way off making his return to action.
Hany Mukhtar will be looking to deliver the goods once again after grabbing a double for the home side the last time Sunday's opponents met.
Twenty-one-year-old Hamady Diop has not featured for Charlotte since May due to a long-term knee injury, which will keep him out of this weekend's contest as well.
Enzo Copetti found the back of the net on his return to action from a fairly lengthy injury layoff, and the forward could be rewarded with a place in the starting XI here.
Nashville SC possible starting lineup:
Panicco; Lovitz, Maher, Macnaughton, Moore; Anunga, McCarty; Leal, Picault, Muyl; Bunbury
Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Lindsey, Malanda, Privett, Byrne; Westwood, Jones, Bronico; Dejaegere, Swiderski, Ben
We say: Nashville SC 2-1 Charlotte FC
The teams boast nearly identical records in front of goal, but Nashville have a significant upper hand defensively, and as a result, we are tipping the home side to get the job done here.
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